Sapporo Medical Journal

Abstract : Phlebitis is one of the common complications after peripheral intravenous (PIVC) cannulation, especially in admitted patients. Objective: This study aimed to determine the incidence of phlebitis after povidone-iodine (PVP-I) versus alcohol isopropyl scrubbings as antiseptics in PIVC in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). A randomized prospective study was conducted in Shar Teaching Hospital, Sulaimaniyah, Iraq, on 201 patients admitted to the ICU from January 2022 to September 2022. Patients were allotted into two groups. Group I (n=99) used povidone-iodine-10% scrub, and group II (n=102) used alcohol isopropyl-70% scrub for sterilizing the skin before PIVC. The study variables included age, gender, site of insertion, place of insertion, cannula size, past medical history, and reason for admission. Phlebitis stages were estimated using a visual infusion phlebitis score (VIPS). The phlebitis incidence in studied patients was 90.5% (87.9% in group I and 93.1% in group II). Most phlebitis cases were developed in patients aged >65 years that had hypertension and were associated with non-significant sex distribution, small catheter size (20 gauge), and insertion on a dorsal metacarpal vein on the right site after 72 hours of IV drug/fluid administration. There was no significant association (P>0.05) between the study groups' variables and their phlebitis stages concerning using different antiseptics. The phlebitis rate was much higher than the global standard rate,